Bio-Ess Laboratories and FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies Find That Cell-Ess Media Supplement Improves Viral Production for Vaccine

EWING, N.J., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio-Ess Laboratories and FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies have collaborated on a study which has shown that Cell-Ess Universal Titer Boost allows for the replacement of serum in influenza virus production in MDCK cells.  

Influenza remains a significant human pathogen due to the seasonal antigenic drift of virus isolates, which results in the need to frequently change the vaccine formulation.  There is a desire in the vaccine industry to identify serum-free alternatives for viral production.  However, previous known efforts for serum-free media have led to poorly growing cells that produce less lipidated or enveloped viral particles. 

Cell-Ess is the world's first universal titer boost and enhancer that works across a wide range of media systems.  Cell-Ess has repeatedly been shown to increase monoclonal antibody titer and improve antibody glycosylation in multiple previously optimized serum-free systems.

In the study, MDCK cells grown in DMEM plus 10% FBS were weaned to 0.5% FBS/9.5% Cell-Ess, 0.3% FBS/9.7% Cell-Ess or 0% FBS/10% Cell-Ess.  MDCK cells grown in low or no FBS supplemented with Cell-Ess showed equivalent virus yield by hemagglutination when compared to the control group in 10% FBS.  Next, cells grown in serum free alternative media UltraMDCK were supplemented with 5% Cell-Ess.  Cells grown in 5% Cell-Ess showed increased titer at earlier time points and also showed an increase in the particle to infectivity ratio. 

"The unique lipid delivery technology of Cell-Ess has been shown to improve a variety of cell functions," says Allan Weber, Bio-Ess Laboratories CEO.  "We welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, an industry leading CDMO in viral products development and manufacturing, to study the effects of Cell-Ess on viral production.

In additional experiments, Cell-Ess has been used as a serum replacement in other viral production cell lines HEK293 and Vero.

About Bio-Ess Laboratories
In July of 2017, Bio-Ess Laboratories, LLC was spun out from Essential Pharmaceuticals, LLC as an independent company focused on the research and biopharmaceutical industries with its "Ess" product lines.  With the rapid growth of the bioprocessing market, Bio-Ess provides Cell-Ess Universal Titer Boost for bioprocessing and vaccine production and Clin-Ess Tissue Preservation Media for tissue preservation and transport.  Our unique products, coupled with our already reputable service, will allow pharmaceutical companies to increase productivity and returns.  Bio-Ess Laboratories will focus solely on these markets, again bringing the same outstanding team and service that these customers expect and deserve.

About FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies
FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies is an industry-leading Biologics Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with locations in Billingham and Redcar, UK, RTP, North Carolina and College Station, Texas.  FUJIFILM Diosynth has over twenty five years of experience in the development and manufacturing of recombinant proteins, vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, among other large molecules, viral products and medical countermeasures expressed in a wide array of microbial, mammalian, and host/virus systems. The company offers a comprehensive list of services from cell line development using its proprietary pAVEway™ microbial and Apollo™ cell line systems to process development, analytical development, clinical and FDA-approved commercial manufacturing. FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies is a partnership between FUJIFILM Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation.  For more information, go to: www.fujifilmdiosynth.com.

For more information on Bio-Ess Laboratories, visit www.bio-ess.com or contact Denise Weber at the corporate office: 1-844-Ess-Prod Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Bio-Ess Laboratories, LLC